Assessing and adapting a teacher recruitment policy for improved teacher quality in Kaduna and Adamawa States in Nigeria.

• In Event: Assessing Effective Teacher Policies in Conflict Affected Settings: Case Studies from Nigeria, Jordan and Bangladesh

Proposal

Introduction: Nigeria faces significant challenges in education, particularly in conflict-affected states where out-of-school children have increased substantially, and teacher shortages have contributed to the lack of access to quality education. In response to this crisis, a DFID/FCDO-funded study on "identification, recruitment and deployment of effective teachers in Kaduna State" conducted by the Education Data Research and Evaluation in Nigeria (EDOREN) recommended a teacher recruitment, deployment and retention policy which was subsequently adopted by the State Government since 2017. The policy implementation/practice entailed teacher recruitment based on school needs through a transparent and competitive process that engendered quality and retention.
The present study follows up the implementation of such policy with two broad objectives: 1) To evaluate the effectiveness of the Kaduna State Teacher Recruitment Policy and Practice, 5 years after implementation; and 2) to identify lessons learned from the Kaduna State Evaluation to provide effective policy guidance and recommendations to Adamawa State Government towards the development of a proposed teacher recruitment legislation for the State. The work will involve financial modeling to estimate the cost of the teacher recruitment policy implementation and practice for Adamawa State.
Study participant: Study participants will be drawn from a wide range of stakeholders involved in policy formulation and implementation across the two states, including policymakers, implementers, and stakeholder groups involved in teacher recruitment, deployment, and retention strategies, such as officials from Ministries of Education, State Universal Basic Education Board, Teacher Service Boards, the Legislative, Teacher Unions, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), research institutions, Community Based Organizations (CBOs), schools, head teachers, teachers, and parents.
Method: The research methodology for the first broad objective will primarily involve a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative data collection. This will include document reviews, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and the administration of semi-structured quantitative questionnaires. The quantitative survey data will be analysed using Stata, while the qualitative data will be analysed using Nvivo. To assess the effectiveness of the policy, a regression discontinuous analysis will be employed.
For the second broad objective, a participatory action research approach will be adopted, which includes active involvement and engagement with stakeholders. Workshops and discussions will be conducted to facilitate stakeholder feedback and enable the adaptation of the proposed teacher recruitment bill to suit the local peculiarities of Adamawa State.
Expected Impact: To inform the effectiveness or otherwise of the existing Teacher Recruitment Policy in Kaduna State and use the lessons learned to provide evidence-based policy guidance for adaptation in other states and context, including Adamawa.
Conclusion: The findings will offer valuable insights on improving access, quality, and continuity of education in conflict-affected regions of Nigeria and serve as a reference for other states facing similar challenges.

Authors

• Joy Oballum, Oxford Policy Management OPM

• Gloria Olisenekwu, Oxford Policy Management

• Saviour Kolo, Oxford Policy Management

• Oladele Akogun, International Rescue Committee